Toasting machine and the like



Mach 15,127. 1 1, 21,234

I C. E. CARPENTER TOASTJgNG MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed pct. 29, 1925 4 Sheeis-Sheet 1 'fiarias f M77291 1621 234 March 1927' V c. E. CARPENTER TQASTING MACHINE AND THE LIKE v Fi1e Oct. 29, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet2 Q fill/2 112 6):

v 1621234 March 2 c. E. czmwsu'ran ToAsTme momma Min THE LI'KE Filed 0ct."2 9, 1 925 4 Sheets-Shet3 v ii-677E1 5 zip I 1927' c. s. CARPENTER TOASTING MACHINE AND THE LIKE March 15 Filed Oct. 29; 1925 4'Sheets-Sheefi24 I Pa'tented- Mar. 15, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. CARPENTER, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

'roas'rme mcnnm- AND rm: mint.

Application filed October 29, 1925. Serial No. 85,519. in place ready to be delivered into the toast- This invention has to do with an improved machine for toasting food. The invention has reference particularly to "improvements in machines for simultaneously toasting both sides of the article to be toasted.

One feature of the invention relates to the provision of a machine for automatically the operator.

I the completed article.

One feature of the invention relates to the provision of means for ensuring proper toasting action on articles of varying thickness, thus ensuring a proper and satisfactory toastin operation regardless of the usual inequa ities in the thickness of slices of bread, etc. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic means forbuttering the article'son one or both sides before they are passed into the toasting machine proper so thatthey will be given a articularly palatable and agreeable taste ue to-toasting of the articles already buttered. v

More particularly it is intended to 'provide a machine for toasting sandwiches and the like, so that the flavor of the meat or other intermediate layer willbe cooked. intothe slices of bread and thus im art an exceptionally delicious and-.palata le taste to- In connection with the above, his a further object to provide mechanism for automatically feeding the individual sandwiches into place without danger of se arating their several layers from each other, notwithstanding the fact that the sandwiches will be of irregular and uneven thickness.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power driven machine which may continue to function for an indefinite lengt inafter described and claimed.

of time, the only requirement being that the machine shall be continuously suppliedwith the articles to be toasted, such as sand-- wiches, slices of bread, etc. I

. Other objects and usesof the-invention will appear from a detailed description of' the same, which consists in the features 0 construction and combinations of parts here- In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a planview of amachine embodying the features of the present invent e a sl ce f ree 9 andwi h ta d ing machine;

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the machine looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 in Fig. 1.; i

Fig. 3 shows a vertical section through the rotatlng platform, being taken on the line ;33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, but on enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the base plate and operating mechanism, being taken Sub sfantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 shows a side elevation of the carrier mechanism, being taken on the line 5--5'of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. but on enlarged scale.

The machine includes. primarily a circu lar table 10 which is pivotally mounted, so that it can rotate about a vertical axis, in conjunction with a series of heating paddles 11 located above said table and turning with it, Each of these paddles is heated; and the individual paddles are carried by radial "arms 12, which are pivoted to the table properat their inner ends and adjacent to the axis of rotation. These pivotal points;

are conveniently established by means of a series of posts 13-, (see Fig. 3), the upper ends of which are slotted to receive the arms 12 which are pivoted'therein by the pins 14.

The paddles 11 are preferably loosely mounted on the ends of their respective arms 12, so that the individual paddles may rock about said arms, but when the arms are raised, the paddles are likewise raised away from the table 10. This result -is conveniently accomplished by the provision-70f 'a 5 radially extending pivotalconnection 15 between the outer end of each of the arms 12 and the inner edge of the corresponding rock up and down with respect to the arms 12 as well' as rocking sidewis e, but the. amount of the up and down rocking movement' is rather limited, so .that when the Fig. 3.

arms. 12 is a vertical pin'16, the same being slidabl mounted in a suitable socket 17 of the ta 1c. The these pinsis-slo Beneath the central portion of each ofthe.

' hand side of Fig. 3.

portion ofthe arm 12,-s0 that by raising thev .pin, the arm is raised, as shown at the right This will also result in raising the corresponding paddle. pins 16 are shouldered so as to limit their downward movement, so that they will not drop away from the table. V

The table itself is heated around its entire body by a suitable electric heating ele-' -ment 19, and preferably this heating element is protected on itsbottom side by a circular layer of asbestos or the like 20.

' Each of the .paddles preferably comprises a bottom metal plate21 which is heated by an electricheating element 22, said heating element in turn being protected by an asbestos block or the like 23. Consequently, the table 10 is heated all over its surface, and each of A the paddles is heated on its bottom surface.

As a result, articles 24, such as sandwiches and the like, placed between the respective palddles and the table will be toasted on both s1 es.

i As the table rotates, the successive paddles are raised into a position such as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 3, so as to allow a new article to be moved into place on ens u'rmg are always a number of sandwiches being toasted. As a matter of structural convenience, the

parts alrea'dy referred to are supported with respect to the base plate 25. A standard'26 is located on this base plate, the table. 10

being provided with a central downwardly reaching 0st 27 into which extends a shaft 28, said siaft being journaled in a bearing 29 which is carried by the pedestal26. A ball or roller bearing 30 is preferably placed betweenthepost 27 and the bearing 29 so as to carry the weight of thetable and supported parts with a minimum of friction.

A shaft 28 is conveniently driven by an electric motor belte'd to a pulley 31, which pulley is on a shaft 32 driving a shaft, 33

at right angles thereto through the medium ofa worm gear connection. 34. This shaft 33 drives the shaft 28, already referred to, ghrough a worm gear connection 35 (see 1 p v r y suitable mea'ns may be provided for thehe'ating' coils ofthe tablera-nd the individual paddles. '--In theparticular constr'ution illustratedg I'liave'provideda. pali- The a proper supply of electricity to which theifull tact as-the' ta 10- rotates, that saidsandof slip rings 36 and 37 carried by and rotating with 'the table for the-two sides of the electric circuit. I Corresponding brushes 38 and 39 are mounted on a stationary part composed of insulating material in position to engage the slip rings when the -table is in place. These brushes are supplied with current through the leads 40 and 41. Y

The heating coils of the individual pad- .dles are likewise connected tothe'slip rings 36 and 37 by the pairs of'wires 42 and 43, as indicated in Fig. 1. As a conse uence, the table and paddles are properly eated at all times.

Beneath the table there is located a stationary curved cam 44, the ends 45 and 46 of which are properly beveled. This cam is placed beneath the circular path of travel of the pins 16 and serves to ensure successive temporary lift of said pins as the table rotates. The cam 44 is properlyplaced and of proper size to ensure lift ofthe paddles at the desired time in the sequence of movements. g

Reaching over the surface of the table at the point of sandwich introduction is a shelf 47, the position of which appears best from examination and comparison of Figs. 1 and 2. This shelf is placed only slightly above the surface of the table,'and is relatively narrow as compared to the circumference of the .table. The sandwiches. are introduced directly upon the shelf 47 and from thence theyare slid down over the edge 48 of said shelf and onto the top surface of the table.

For this purpose, I have provided an angular arm 49 swinging. over the surface of.

the shelf :47 and mounted upon the up er end of a vertical shaft 50. Said shaft has at its lower end a gear 51 meshing with a curved rack .52. This rack has. on its side face of a cam shaped 'lug 53 which may be engaged by a horizontally rocking'arm'54.

.Said arm is in turn pivoted at the point 55 to a gear wheel 56 which is driven from the shaft 33, already referred to. A spring tends torestorethe shaft 50 and arm 49 to the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. As the gear wheel 56' rotates, the arm 54 isforced to the right in Fig. 2, thus rocking the segmental gear 52 and turning the shaft 50and swinging the arm 49 rapidly around so as to sweep the sandwich over the edge 48 of the shelf 47 anddownv onto the table. 4

At the extreme movement'of the arm 54, as just explained, the end of said arm will *slide up over the cam shaped lug 53 so as toallow the spring '57 to uickly restore the 'shaft 50 and arm 49 to t eforiginal position.

At the other side of the shelf 47 there is" provided a vertical flan toasted sandwiches will con-.

g'e 58 against wit-hes will be forced'out and over the ed e 9 will be noted that the delivery move? ment of each sandwich from the rotatmg of the table. Upon doing so, they will sli e down over the adjoining edge portion 59 of a chute onto which they are delivered. It will be understood that each of the paddles 11 is raised as the sandwich runs against the flange 58, and remains in the raised osition until after the new sandwich has een moved into place over the edge 48 of the shelf 47.

Extending across the machine above the position of the chute 60 is a horizontal table 61 at-the same level as the shelf 47. One or more carriers 62 and 63 are arranged to travel along the edges of this shelf 61, said carriers in turn passing over sprocket wheels 64 and 65 located on shafts 66 and 67 at the ends of the shelf 61. Said shaft 67 is in turn driven by a chain 68 running over a sprocket 69 on the shaft 33, already referred to- I Around the central portion of the table 61 and carriers 62 and 63 is a housing 70. The same has the slotted openings 71 and 72 at its two sides through which the-sandwich 73 carried by the chains 62 and 63 may travel. Beneath this housing is a pan 74 preferably heated by an electric heater 75, which. pan contains a suitable supply of butter in molten condition. Within the housing at positions above and below. the sandwich 73 are the spray nozzles 76 and 77. These are directed towards the top and bottom surfaces of the sandwiches. A supply of compressed air is available through the line 78 which passes to a rotary valve 79. Said valve is periodically turned by a shaft 80 also driven from the shaft 33. Leading from the valve 79 are the ipes 81 and 82 for the spray nozzles 76 an 77, respectively, so that each time the valve is opened compressed air is admitted to both of the spray nozzles. These nozzles also connect with the lower portion of the. pan 79 by the pipes 83 and 84, so that whenever compressed air is admitted to the nozzles, the liquid butter is syphoned up and sprayed against the top and bottom surfaces of the sandwich.

, t will, of course, be understood that the gear ratios between the different parts should be such as to ensure proper timing of the different operations. This timing should be such that as each sandwich-passes between the nozzles 76 and 77, the valve 79 is opened to ensure spraying their surfaces with butter, should be such that as each paddle 11 comes into the general position, indicated in Fig. 1, the arm 49 will be swung around to move the sandwich into place on the table and beneath the paddle, and the movementsof the chain conveyor should be such as to ensure delivery of the sandwiches ainst the arm 49 prior to the swinging 0 said arm, as already explained.

table is occasioned by contact with the plate 58. The removal of the sandwich will necessarily be gradual and not instantaneous. I that. thls results in an excessive amount of table'last, it might be desirable to employ sandwiches and-operating in a manner simi- If it should be found in some cases p toasting action on the edge which leaves-the .lar to the arm 49. I, therefore, contemplate the use of such a structure located adjacent .to thedischarge position.

While I have herein-shown and described only a single embodiment of the feature of my present invention, still I do not intend to limit'myself to the same, except as I may do so in the claims. v

' I claim:

'1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a table mounted for rotation about a central vertical axis, means for heating said table, a series of paddles above the table, a radial arm for each paddle, a pivotal connection between the inner end of each 'arm and the central portion of the table permitting vertical swinging movement of the .arm within a vertical radially extending plane, a pivotal connection between the outer end of ach arm and its paddle permitting latera rocking movement of the paddle with respect to the arm, together with a limited amount of rocking movement of above'and below the carriers" a apted to a spray articles carried thereby, means for continuously rotatin" the table, means for successively raising the paddle arms as the paddles pass, the position of the shelf and for thereafterermitting lowering of said arms, means or successively transferring articles from the carrier across the shelf onto the table beneath the paddles prior to "said paddle lowering movement,and means for successively operating the spray devices in timed relationship, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of a table mounted for rotation about a central vertical axis, means .for heating said table, a series of paddles above the table, a radial arm for each -paddle, a pivotal connection between theinner end of each arm and the central portion of the table permitting vertical swmgin the arm within a vertical'r ally extending plane, a pivotal connection between the outer movement of;

along the same, spray nozzles above and below the carriers adapted to spray articles carried thereby, means for continuously rotating the table, means for successively raising the paddle arms as the paddles pass the position of the shelf and for thereafter permitting lowering of said arms, and means for successively transferring articles from the carrier across the shelf onto the table beneathrthe' paddles prior to said paddle r flowering movement, substantially as described.

I 3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a table mounted for rotation about a central vertical axis, means for heating said table, a series of paddles above the table, a radial arm for each paddle, pivotal connections between the ends of said arms and the table and paddle respectively, means for heating the individual paddles, a stationary shelf overlying one portion of the table and in close proximity thereto, a supplychute leading to said shelf, suitable carr iers in conjunction with the supply chute .for the transfer of articles along the same,

I spraynozzles-"above and below the carriers adapted to spray articles carried thereby,

' means for continuously rotating the table,

means for successively raising the paddle armsas the paddles pass the position of the shelf and for thereafter permitting lowering of said arms, and means for successively transferring articles from the carrier across the shelf onto'the table beneath the paddles 1 prior to said paddle lowering movement, substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a table mounted for rotation about a" central vertical axis, means for heatin said table, aseries of paddles above the tale, means i for causing said paddles .to

- travel with the table while permitting the individual; addles to-move vertically with respect to,

e table, means for; heating the individual paddles, a stationary shelf adjacent to one portion of the table, rnean s for delivering articles across said shelf and onto the table in timed relationship withrespect totable rotation, and means for successively raising the paddles as they pass the delivery position aforesaid, substantially as described. 1

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a smooth plane table mounted for rotation about a central vertical axis, means for heating said table, a series of v fiat paddles above the table, said paddles being entirelyplane throughout their areas,

means for causing said paddles to travel with the table While ,permitting the in-' dividual paddles to mo vertically with re-- spect to the table, means for heating the in dividual'paddles, means for delivering arti-- cles edge-wise onto the smooth table in timedrelationship with respect to the table rotation', and means for successively raising the paddles at the position of said delivery, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of a smooth plane table mounted means for heating said table, a series of fiat paddles above the table, said paddles being entirely plane throughout their working surfaces, means, for causing said paddles to travel with the table while permitting the respect to the table, means for heating the individual paddles, and means for deliverfor rotation about a' central vertical axis,

individual paddles to move vertically with.

ing articles side-wise onto the smooth table and beneath the paddles in timed relationship with respect to, the table rotation, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a table mounted for rotation about a central vertical axis, means for heat- "in the table, a series of paddles traveling with and vertically movable with respect to the table, means for introducing individual articles onto the table beneath the paddles in timed relationship with respect to the table rotation, and means for spraying said arti-' cles prior thereto, substantially as described. 8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a smooth plane carrier surface, means for heating the'same, a series of flat paddles traveling with said carrier surface and movable vertically-with respect to. the same, said paddles being plane throughout their working surfaces, means 7 for heating the individual paddles, and means for introducing articles to be treated edge-wise between, the carrier" surface and the individual paddles in timed relationship with respect to the carrier travel, substantially as described.

QHARLES E. CARPENTER. 

